The Price of a Smile
by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: Pain is pain, is what everyone always thinks, and it's shocking to find out that there are types of pain out there that hurt far more than a punch to the gut. Hermione receives news that changes her world, leaving her feeling lost, alone and vulnerable. She still has friends who care for her, but she needs something more. Comfort however, soon arrives in the unlikeliest of forms.
1. Chapter 1

**Yo. Um, I'm not quite sure of what to say here. Most of this follows the original. There are just some people who should be dead but are still alive and so on. I'll have more to say in the AN at the end, so here we go.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...**

It was quite shocking for Hermione to learn how much more painful an emotional blow could be as compared to a physical one. She stood there, completely stiff, brown eyes wide. She just...couldn't understand what had just been said to her, couldn't respond to it, couldn't believe it.

Ron took a step closer to her, clearly wanting to comfort her. She automatically took a step back. Harry tried this time, tried to get close to her, and succeeded. Aware of Hermione's shock, aware of her stillness, he pulled her into his arms, held her tightly, and silently comforted her.

Hermione didn't know why she had allowed Harry to hold her and not Ron, but maybe it was because she knew her green eyed friend would understand. Harry would understand, but would not pity. Harry knew exactly what it was that she was going through. Harry knew, because he had been an orphan for seventeen years of his life. Harry knew, because he was no longer the only orphan in their group.

Turning around in her friend's grasp, Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest and began to cry. Grimmauld Place's basement kitchen, though packed to capacity, was completely silent save for Hermione's sobs, which were being muffled in Harry's shirt. Nobody knew what to say, leaving them all speechless, uncharacteristic though it was for some of them.

It was surprising for some and not for others, when Harry was the first to speak. He looked over Hermione's head, looked over at the man standing at the opposite end of the table, looked over at the man who had brought them this terrible, horrible news. He looked him right in the eyes as if determined to detect any hints of a lie. "Was there anything that could have been done?"

Eyes as dark as midnight gazed unwaveringly into Harry's green. "No. Any interference would have resulted in further loss of lives, perhaps even Miss Granger's neighbours."

Harry did not waver either. "Did you know?"

There was a moment's pause, a fraction of a second that seemed like a lifetime. "No, I was unaware of the fact that the Death Eaters were planning on harming Miss Granger' family."

"Why?" questioned Harry, tightening his hold on his friend. "Voldemort's dead. What would they have to gain by doing this?"

Cool bemusement came into those onyx eyes. "Really, Mr Potter, I was under the impression that you were smarter than that. They did it for revenge, Mr Potter. _Revenge_."

"But why her parents?" questioned Harry.

"Mr and Mrs Granger were the easiest to get to."

"What? What the hell are you talking about!?" demanded Ron.

Those dark eyes traveled to Ron for a moment, before refocusing on Harry. "The Death Eaters wish to harm you, Mr Potter, you, Mr Weasley, and Miss Granger." He nodded his head towards Hermione, who still had her face buried in Harry's chest. "Whether they harm you directly, or by proxy, they do not care. The Weasleys," he glanced around at them all, "are too well protected. There is no sense in harming the Dursleys, as the Death Eaters have heard many tales of how they despise you, and you them." He paused. "The Grangers on the other hand, though protected, cannot possibly be one hundred percent invulnerable, simply because of the fact that they are Muggles."

Harry felt Hermione tense in his arms and knew that even though she was crying, she was still listening to what was being said. And they were clearly thinking the same thing. '_Simply because of the fact that they are Muggles'. _That was all that was running through Harry's head. He could actually feel his anger rising.

The onyx eyed man held up a hand before Harry could voice his protest. "Vernon Dursley _worked_ at Grunnings. Petunia was a _housewife_. Dudley was a boy who did _not_ care for school. David and Angela Granger on the other hand, _owned_ their own dentist clinic. They had family, friends, and _enjoyed_ having a proper social life. How much can be taken away without arousing suspicion? How much can you change?"

"But Professor Snape, that still-" Harry cut off when he felt Hermione shake her head against his chest. She was silently telling him not to argue. "Hermione..."

"Can I just go to bed now?" This was asked in a voice so quiet that it was barely audible.

Harry's face softened visibly. "Of course you can go to bed. Come on, here." And then with an expression on his face that dared anyone to say otherwise, he began to lead his friend out of the room...

Seated on her bed, Hermione stared straight in front of her with glazed eyes. She vaguely registered Harry and Professor Snape arguing, but she couldn't understand what they were saying with how slow her brain was working. All she could really hear was a hum in her ears. She was no longer stiff though, but oddly relaxed. She had been given a Calming Draught, even though she hadn't _really_ needed one. She knew they wanted to give her a Dreamless Sleep potion, but she couldn't take it immediately after the previous one.

Harry and Severus were not, as Hermione had assumed, arguing. They were speaking, yes, but quietly. A lot had changed between them after Voldemort's death, after Harry had seen those memories. The two had, in a way, allowed bygones to be bygones. ...Sort of.

"You know she really didn't need that Calming Draught, right?" asked Harry. "She seemed calm enough to me."

Snape shook his head in exasperation. "Listen to me, Pot- Harry. The grief has not struck her yet. And it likely will not strike until tomorrow, or perhaps even a month from now. Yes, Miss Granger is upset, but there is a part of her mind that does not yet believe it. When she finally, fully, accepts the truth, it will be far more painful that it is now. The Calming Draught given to her a moment ago is to ensure that should that grief strike at the present moment, it will not overcome her."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, closed it, and looked over at Hermione, who was still sitting there with glazed eyes. He heaved a sigh. He was going to have to watch over his friend, he realized. He was going to have to make sure she took care of herself properly. He knew she wasn't going to bother with it, so he'd have to take the initiative. She had helped him quite a bit after Sirius had died, after all.

Severus stood there in the silent room watching Harry watch Granger. He saw a multitude of expressions pass over the boy's face, before it finally set on determination. He briefly wondered what Harry was thinking, what Granger was thinking, before silently telling himself that it didn't matter.

"Is it okay to give her the Dreamless Sleep?" asked Harry suddenly. "She could use some rest."

Severus looked over at the girl, before pulling out a vial and approaching her bed. Uncorking it, he held it out for her to take. She did not move. "Bloody Gryffindors," he muttered under his breath. He took her chin and tilted her head back. "Open your mouth, Miss Granger."

Not completely aware of who was speaking and what they were doing, Hermione still complied immediately. Though it felt more like it was somebody else allowing Professor Snape to tilt her head back, somebody else opening her mouth, somebody else swallowing obediently.

The potion set to work without falter. Hermione immediately felt sleep overcome her, and she silently allowed Harry to tuck her in properly, trying not to remember the way her parents had done the same thing when she'd been a child. She heard her friend mumble something to her, then realized that he was about to walk away. Eyes blurred with sleep and tears, she reached out blindly. "Please... Please don't go!"

Severus looked down at the small hand gripping his sleeve, then at Granger's terrified face, her eyes. He felt something inside him then. A small motion, almost like a stir. What it meant, he did not know, nor did he particularly care, at the moment, at least. He was too surprised to think about anything else. No one had ever grabbed onto him and begged him not to leave before. Quite the opposite, really.

Harry, seeming to partially understand his predicament, came to his aid. Shooting the man what was obviously an apologetic look, Harry carefully unwound Hermione's hand from Snape's sleeve, and took it into his own. "Don't worry, Hermione, I'm not going to go anywhere." He sat down on the edge of the bed and gave what sounded like a sigh of relief when Hermione fell asleep seconds later.

He looked up at the professor. "Do you know how many Death Eaters were there at Hermione's house?"

Snape looked down at him, seemingly considering. "There were four."

Harry frowned slightly. "Do you know who they were?"

This time, the man didn't answer for a long time. He stared down at the sleeping Hermione, his face expressionless. It was a good five minutes before he spoke. "I only know the identity of the Death Eater that planned this...attack."

"Who?" questioned Harry, face set with determination.

"...Bellatrix Lestrange." When Harry didn't answer, Severus looked at him, and was surprised to see the expression on the boy's face. Harry looked very angry. Hell, he looked almost murderous. Severus had never seen such an expression on his face before, not even when he had taken on the Dark Lord. Not that he had actually _been_ there when Harry had faced off against the Dark Lord in the Great Hall. _He_ had been _dying_ in the Shrieking Shack. But he had heard that Harry had been oddly calm while he'd been taking him on.

Figuring it was time for him to leave, Severus did just that. He may not exactly hate Harry Potter anymore, but he wasn't about to console him. Besides, it wasn't like he _knew_ how to comfort or console. Instead, he simply gave Harry a nod, before walking out of the room. He knew the others were likely still waiting for him in the kitchen. Waiting to question him on what had happened and exactly what it was that he knew.

Left alone in the room with a sleeping Hermione for company, Harry buried his face in his hands. He clenched his fists, trying to stop the shaking. He was just so damn angry! Bellatrix Lestrange. It was because of Bellatrix fucking Lestrange, that Hermione now had to suffer the pain of being an orphan.

"Harry...?" A quiet voice issued from the doorway.

The black haired teen looked up to see werewolf Remus Lupin, entering the room and approaching him. Remus looked down at him for a moment, before getting down into his knees in front of him, placing both his hands on Harry's shoulders. Harry looked at him, saw the concern on his face, but couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Severus told us everything," said Remus after a moment of silence. "The Aurors are already out there, looking for Bellatrix and her three...companions. They'll find them."

Harry however, shook his head, feeling fury course through him yet again. "I'm going to kill her, Remus. I'm going to fucking kill that jumped up bitch!"

Remus' eyes widened at Harry's words. He had _never_ heard the boy speak like this before. "Harry, you mustn't-"

The teen cut him off. "Mustn't what? She'll bleeding deserve it. You can't deny that, Remus! First Neville's parents! Then Sirius! She tortures Hermione and gets away with it! She killed Dobby! Now she kills her parents! I'm not...I can't..."

"Harry..." Remus kept his voice soft. Yes, he did technically agree with Harry on that, but he was the adult in the room, and he was going to, _had_ to make sure he calmed Harry down before the Gryffindor did something he would later regret. Harry _was_ a Potter after all, and not just any Potter, but James and Lily's son.

Before the werewolf could continue however, Harry shook his head again, cutting the man off once more. "I know," he said hoarsely. "I know, god dammit!" He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down. He didn't want to start yelling. Not only would that wake Hermione up, but it would bring the others upstairs, and that was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

"I love her Remus. She's like my sister. My school loving sister. And I met her parents as well, during the castle's restoration. They were so kind to me, even though it was my fault their daughter could have died so many times since she met me. They didn't blame me for anything. Instead, her mum hugged me. She hugged me and thanked me for taking care of their only child. I feel like I lost my own parents again, lost Sirius again, like how I would feel if something happened to Mr or Mrs Weasley. Or to you."

"...Harry." Remus saw Harry's pain, could even feel it in himself. Harry, who had never had any actual siblings, considered the Weasleys and Hermione his brothers and sister(s)? He wasn't a hundred percent sure about how he felt for Ginny, so he wasn't going to include her in that.

But Harry closed his eyes and did what Snape had tried to get him to do back in the fifth year. He attempted to clear his mind. Attempted to force the anger back, down, away.

When Harry opened his eyes again, Remus saw that they were clear. Perhaps a little cold, but clear. His grip on the boy's shoulders loosened. "You don't have to stay here, Harry. Why don't you go get some rest? Hermione won't wake until morning anyway."

Once again, Harry shook his head. "I promised her that I'll stay here with her. I promised."

Slowly, Remus nodded, then giving Harry's shoulders a squeeze, got to his feet. "Nonetheless, you should try and get some sleep. You'll be no help to her if you yourself are exhausted."

And when Remus left the room, Harry turned to look at Hermione. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault...

**Okay, so that's all I've got for this chapter. Despite what it may look like at the moment, this _is_ a SeverusxHermione fic, not HarryxHermione, so don't worry about that. I just wanted to emphasize how much Harry and Hermione care about each other like siblings. If you don't know about me, my updates are always really slow. Like, _really_ slow, so dunno when the next chapter will be up. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo. Thanks to all readers so far. I'm glad you guys like it. I admit, I'm not a hundred percent sure where I'm going with this yet. I'm still sorta...planning it out, soooo yeah. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...**

When Hermione awoke the next morning, it took her a moment to figure out why she felt so horrible. It all came back to her in a flash, quicker than the blink of an eye.

*Flashback*

_The kitchen was packed with full, happy people. They had, yet again, enjoyed a fantastic dinner made by none other than Molly Weasley. Satisfied, everyone was just lounging about, chatting._

_Mrs Weasley was dealing with the dishes. Mr Weasley was keeping an eye on the others. Bill, Charlie, and Remus seemed to be having a discussion about werewolves. Fred and George were devising some new merchandise for their shop. Ginny was playing with Crookshanks. Ron was leaning back in his chair, yawning every five minutes. And Harry and Hermione were talking about how Harry now lived at Grimmauld Place with Remus, and about how they were going to be going back to Hogwarts to do their final year, and how awkward it would be for them to be the oldest students in the school._

_The atmosphere was happy, relaxed, but no one had any way of knowing what was about to happen. No one noticed Severus Snape walk into the room. Not until Mrs Weasley turned around and saw him standing in the shadowy doorway._

_"Severus! How lovely to see you dear! Come in, come sit."_

_Everyone looked round as one, but no one actually said anything. Snape did, now step into the room, but he didn't sit down. He didn't acknowledge anyone. Instead, he fixed those unfathomable black eyes on Hermione's confused brown._

_"Miss Granger."_

_"Y-yes?" asked Hermione, wondering what Professor Snape wanted from her._

_"The Aurors have been called to your house."_

_The girl blinked. "Aurors, sir? B-but why?" She glanced around the room, but everyone seemed to be just as confused as she was. She refocused on the tall man, a sense of foreboding setting in._

_"The Dark Mark was spotted above your house," replied Snape in a flat voice._

_"Wh-what...!?" She jumped to her feet, followed by pretty much everyone else in the room. "The Dark Mark...? B-but mum! Dad! Are they alright!? Where are they!?" There was a pause, a short pause that, to Hermione, felt like an eternity._

_"They are gone..."_

*Flashback End*

Hermione closed her eyes, forcing the tears back, trying to get Professor Snape's voice out of her mind. '_They are gone... They are gone... They are gone..._' It wasn't until she felt a hand squeeze her leg, that she was finally able to push the voice back. She sat up, and found Harry seated at the foot of her bed...sort of.

He was hunched over, leaning back against the cold metal bars, his legs dangling off the edge of the bed, along with one of his arms. His head was bent at an odd angle, and his glasses were crooked, but knowing that he was sleeping in such a painful position just so he could watch over her brought tears to Hermione's eyes once more.

She didn't let them fall though. She _refused_ to let them fall. Though she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep and never wake up, Hermione forced herself to her feet. Nature was calling and she couldn't ignore it any longer. Forgetting about magic, she heaved Harry onto the bed, so that he was laying down properly, and in a position that wouldn't break his neck or back. She took his glasses off, placed them on the nightstand, then left the room.

It was very early in the morning, the sun just beginning to rise. Taking care to be as quiet as possible, Hermione headed into the bathroom to take care of business. While washing her hands, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror above the sink. Though it had only been a few hours since she had received the news of her parents' death, she could already see the way it had physically affected her.

She was too pale, her eyes too big, too dark. Her eyes were no longer happy either. There had been a light in them that was no longer there. Suddenly, realizing that she didn't want to look at herself and see these changes, Hermione averted her eyes from the mirror.

She made her way down into the kitchen, intent on getting something to eat, but then merely collapsed into a chair at the table. Hermione_ was_ hungry, but even the thought of eating made her feel sick. She placed her head in her hands and tried to control her breathing, tried to do what her mother had taught her to do, if she got scared or nervous or angry. She tried to sing a song in her head.

When she'd been about four, she'd woken up from a terrifying nightmare one night, and when her mother had come in to comfort her, she had said that if something ever happened to work her up in any way, then she should just sing her favourite song in her head. Hermione had been doing that for years and it really did work.

Hermione knew that her parents wouldn't want her to sit around brooding and crying all day. She _knew_ it, but she couldn't just...forget. How_ could_ she? How could _anyone_? She forced herself to push it all back. _Tea_, she thought. Some tea would help her. She got to her feet, but before she could even take a step, a sudden wave of grief hit her. Hermione collapsed onto her knees, gripping the edge of the table, and broke out in sobs.

Her body shook wildly and she brought a hand to her mouth, somehow trying to stifle her sobs. She didn't want anyone to overhear. She knew they were worrying about her enough already. But she didn't realize that someone had already heard her crying.

There was somebody who had been standing in the doorway, observing her for a few minutes now. This person had seen her effort to compose herself, and had also witnessed her collapse into grief. This person now entered the room and slowly began to approach the sobbing girl. Comforting another was not his strong point, and he had half a mind to go and fetch Molly, but he knew he couldn't just leave Granger there on the floor in such a state.

Crying as hard as she was, Hermione was barely able to breathe. She took in a long breath, and suddenly smelt spices. Confused, she looked up, only to see Severus Snape kneeling down next to her, a handkerchief in hand. He was dressed as he always was, minus the robes, and was as expressionless as ever, but Hermione instantly felt mortified.

Of all the people to walk in while she was crying like a maniac, it _had_ to be Professor Snape. With a mumbled word of thanks, Hermione accepted the cloth and, keeping her gaze lowered, used it to wipe away the tears staining her cheeks. But as soon as they were gone, yet more fell in their place. She felt her throat tighten again, and her body began wracking with sobs again. She couldn't stop crying. It was all just too painful. She didn't know what to do, how to handle it all, so her body and mind dealt with it all by having her cry.

Severus had no idea what to do. He hadn't expected Granger to start crying again. He thought she would accept the handkerchief, compose herself, apologize for crying, then get up and begin behaving like, well, like Hermione Granger. But this, he had absolutely no idea how to deal with _this_.

"Professor? ...Hermione!?"

For the first time in his life, Severus was glad to see Harry Potter. The boy rushed over and all but shoved him aside, to get near his friend. Sparing him with a glare, Severus straightened up and moved aside. _How was Potter going to get Granger to stop crying?_ he found himself wondering. The girl was just crying so hard, it was a wonder how she hadn't chocked herself yet with all the tears and sobs and lack of breathing.

Potter didn't say anything to Granger though. He simply pulled her into his arms and held her silently. The girl held on to him tightly, them simply broke down completely. Though she had to have been staining his shirt with tears, Potter still said nothing. Though she was sobbing uncontrollably, still, Potter said nothing. In fact, it was Granger herself, who spoke first.

"Harry...how do you deal with it? With your parents? With Sirius?"

Though Harry felt himself go stiff, he forced himself to relax and answer. "Hermione, you know it isn't the same with my parents, like it is with yours. You grew up with your parents, I didn't. I learned about mum and dad during my years at Hogwarts. Sirius... It was different with Sirius too. You know it was."

Slowly, Hermione nodded against his chest. She didn't need Harry to say more to understand. She wasn't stupid, she knew it was different. "Still," she said softly, "how long does _this_ last? This...pain?"

Here, Harry sighed softly. "Forever, Hermione. You'll always be hurting, some days more than others, but trust me when I say, you'll learn to live with it. I promise you though, it won't hurt as much as it does now."

The girl nodded again. "Time," she murmured. "It's time, right...?"

"Yes, it's all time. I can't tell you how long it'll take. It's different for everyone. You know how long it took me with Sirius. And I only knew him for like, two years or so. I'm sure it will take you a bit longer than that, considering, but you know that there's no need to rush."

Once again, Hermione nodded. "I understand."

Harry smiled slightly. "Good. Now, let's have some breakfast. Mrs Weasley won't be up for a while and I'm hungry." He looked up at Snape. "Can you give me a hand, Professor?" he asked, nodding down at his friend.

Though he didn't show it, Severus was actually rather surprised that Pot-Harry had asked him for help with this. Couldn't he deal with Granger alone? Obviously not. He stepped forwards, unsure of what to do. The closest he had ever come to this, was when his godson Draco had been four, and he had been having a temper tantrum. That had been the time when he, Severus, had needed to pry Draco off Lucius.

Severus hesitated for a moment, before placing his hands on Granger's shoulders. He let them slide down her bare arms, until they reached her hands, which he then carefully disentangled from Harry's already wrinkled shirt. Taking those remarkably small hands into his own, he watched Harry take a step back, then head towards the stove.

The man once again, slid his hands over Granger's arms, this time, up, until they came to a rest on her shoulders once more. He then steered her over to a chair, and sat her down, before moving to sit in the chair across from her. He would have just left, but hey, Harry was making breakfast and that would save him the trouble of eating out. And since it was so early, and everyone still in bed, he wasn't going to have to worry about everyone staring at him like he were some sort of freak show.

When a cup of tea was placed in front of him moments later, he gratefully took a sip, and watched Granger simply stare into her own cup, before pushing it away. Severus sighed inwardly. Reaching out, he pushed the tea cup back towards her, using the tips of his fingers. "Drink, Miss Granger. It will help." He spoke quietly, in a voice that wouldn't carry over to the boy at the stove. He watched as Granger looked up at him.

Hermione looked up at her professor, both surprised and confused. His expression was as blank as always, but his eyes... There was something in those dark eyes of his that compelled her to reach out, pick up her cup, and take a sip of tea. And through all this, she didn't look away from the man seated across her.

Professor Snape sipped his tea, and Hermione followed suit. And it was like this that they both drank, taking turns sipping. And it was in this manner, that Hermione ended up draining her cup. When she placed the teacup down, she saw a smirk cross the man's face, and immediately realized that she had, in a way, been coaxed into drinking her tea. What was surprising about that though, was that she didn't mind. But why she didn't mind, she didn't really know. Not yet, at least...

**And yeah, that's it. I know it's still more like a HxH fic, fit it really is a SxH one. I don't want it to be...fast. I want to kinda...draw it out, if that makes sense. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo, sorry about the delay, but I wanted to write at least half of the next chapter, before putting this one up. Anyway, thankz to all readers so far. You guyz are making me super happy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters...**

It was about a week after David and Angela Granger had been found dead in their own home, after having been tortured and murdered by a small group of Death Eaters. Hermione was alone in the Black house library, trying to read. The other occupants of the house had only left her by herself, because they knew she needed some time to compose herself. They had all just come from the funeral of Mr and Mrs Granger, after all.

Hermione wasn't really sure what to think anymore, what to do. She had thought that with Voldemort dead, she wouldn't need to worry about her parents' safety beyond the basics. That was why she had brought them back from Australia and lifted the memory charm she had placed on them a year ago.

_I should have done more to protect them. I knew there were still Death Eaters out there. We all knew. It was stupid of me to think that we were safe...mum and dad were safe. I should have done more for them. I know all those spells! Why didn't I use them!? Why...? Why...?_

Half an hour later, Severus walked into the library, only to be greeted by a sleeping Hermione. She was lying on the couch, one of her legs dangling off the edge, a book in her hands. Her hair had fallen over her face, and it moved every time she breathed out.

Severus was actually rather surprised by the sight before him. Not counting the time she had broken down crying a week ago, he had never seen the girl in such a...vulnerable stare. He stepped forwards until he was standing directly in front of Granger, and stared down at her.

He felt it again, that same thing from the previous week, but it was stronger this time. Instead of a stir though, it felt more like a tug. He couldn't tell where this tug originated. His chest? His gut? Unconsciously, he reached out and carefully tucked that brown hair back. It was a lot softer than he had expected. He ran his hand through her hair, his fingers brushed the soft skin of the girl's cheek.

Severus froze. What the hell was he doing!? He took the book resting on Granger's chest, and placed it down on the table nearby. Then he moved to sit in the armchair across the couch Hermi-Granger, was lying on, grabbed the nearest book, and began to read, desperate for a distraction.

Though Severus was trying to read, he found that he couldn't quite keep his eyes on the words before him. Those onyx irises kept drifted over the top over the top of the book, over to the sleeping girl across from him. Every time he noticed what he was doing, he forced himself to refocus on his book, but...

"Mmm... N-ngh..." Eyelids feeling as heavy as lead, Hermione forced them open, and blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. Slowly, she sat up, clutching her head. She felt like she had a hangover, even though she knew it was probably from crying so much. _The library? Oh, right... I came in here after mum and dad's..._

Having been under the impression that she was alone, Hermione jolted slightly when she heard what sounded like a page turning. Surprised, she looked up and for the first time, noticed that she was not, indeed, alone. "...Professor Snape?" He was just sitting there, as calm as ever, reading some book.

The professor however, barely spared her a glance. "...Miss Granger."

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked.

"Nearly two hours," replied the professor, still not looking up from his book.

Slowly, Hermione reached for her own book. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry at the moment, and she wasn't really in the mood for company either, so reading with Professor Snape in silence was actually alright. Glad that her page had been saved, she flipped over, curled up, and began to read.

After five minutes of nothing but the comforting sound of pages turning, Severus chanced a glance up at the girl. He had been surprised that she had chosen to remain in the library with him after having woken up. He had assumed that she would leave after realizing who was in the room with her. People did not _enjoy_ his company, after all.

"Miss Granger, what exactly have you been reading that has brought such a look of confusion upon your face?"

Surprised, Hermione looked up. She hadn't realized that the man had noticed her confusion. She also didn't realize that to have noticed that confusion, he had to have been watching her. "Well, there's a theory in this book, professor, about the Polyjuice Potion, and it just seems to me like it's all nonsense."

Snape raised a brow. "Is that so? And what exactly _is_ this...theory?" He raised himself out of the armchair as he spoke, and moved to sit next to her instead.

This motion surprised Hermione, but she tried not to let it show. She shifted the book so the man could also read what was written. He did so, and a thoughtful frown crossed his face.

"You are correct, Miss Granger. This is nothing but nonsense."

Pleased that the professor agreed with her, she continued. "See? I mean, if we were to brew the potion according to what this man is suggesting, would we not _lose_ the ability to mimic one's appearance? Isn't that the main point of the potion in the first place, sir?"

"It would indeed." He paused a moment. "Who is the dunderhead that wrote this book?"

Hermione checked. "Daniel Young."

The man let out a sigh. "That duffer."

"Do you know him, sir?" asked Hermione, hesitating slightly.

"I do," Snape replied. "The fool graduated from Hogwarts the year before you began there. He was smart at school though... I've no idea why he came up with such a stupid idea."

Hermione made a thoughtful sound, unaware of how close she and the professor were seated. Their shoulders and thighs were pressed together, and she unconsciously breathed in his scent. Spices. Snape always smelt like spices, no doubt because of all those potions he brewed.

She found it kind of funny that she was almost...comfortable, being alone with Professor Snape. He had made her cry on more than one occasion while at Hogwarts. She had spent all these years telling her parents just that. Yet now...now she _enjoyed_ being around him.

The two remained as they were there in the library, spending the next little while discussing Daniel Young's absurd Polyjuice Potion theory. Hermione was shocked to find that when they spoke like this, it was actually really easy to talk to Professor Snape. And what she didn't know, was the he was thinking the same thing about her. They were actually having...fun.

That fun however, ended all too soon...

"Oh, there you are, 'Mione! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Ron Weasley stumbled through the library, an oblivious smile on his face. That smile faded when the redhead saw who she was sitting next to. He sneered at the professor, clearly not pleased.

Hermione frowned slightly. She knew Ron didn't like Professor Snape, but sneering at him like that was a bit much. "Is there something you needed, Ron?"

"Yeah! You've been holed up in here for hours! We're about to practice Quidditch. Why don't you come watch? It's gotta be better than sitting in here with you know..." He held out a hand, clearly intending for her to take it.

The girl glanced at her professor, who was watching the proceedings with a look of indifference on his face. But there was this look in his eyes. A look of what she realized, was disgust. Hermione didn't move to take Ron's hand. She remained where she was, seated next to Snape.

"What're you waiting for? C'mon, 'Mione."

"In all the time you've known her, have you never once realized that Hermione doesn't like Quidditch much, Weasley?" The voice was slick and issued from the doorway.

Everyone looked over, surprised. Standing there, looking as smug as ever, was none other than Draco Malfoy. Passing Ron, he approached the couch where Snape and Hermione were seated. "Uncle Severus, Hermione," he greeted with a nod.

"Draco," replied the two in unison. They exchanged a glance which may or may not have concealed amusement.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here, Malfoy?" questioned Ron.

"Manners, Weasley," said Draco, barely sparing Ron a glance. "The famous Potter's best friend or not, this isn't your house. Harry invited me."

"Despite the war having ended, there were still many Death Eaters about. The three Malfoys had had a deep discussion and decided which side they wanted to be on. They already hadn't liked many of the things Voldemort had been making them do, and they had technically lied to him anyway. They had spoken to Harry first, knowing that he would at least listen to them, if not give them a chance.

Because of Harry Potter, Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy were now official members of the Order of the Phoenix. It had taken the other members a while to get used to that fact, but most were alright with it now.

"And why would Harry invite you?" demanded Ron, obviously still not pleased.

Draco rolled his eyes, evidently annoyed. "He wants me to hang out with the brain, while the brawns practice Quidditch." He saw Hermione glance up at his godfather, and he suppressed a smile. "Uncle Severus, you seem to have forgotten that you were to have lunch with father today."

The man's eyes widened slightly, and he hissed a curse. He _had_ forgotten. He had been so focused on his conversation with Granger, that it had completely slipped his mind.

Draco looked at Hermione, held out a hand, and gave her his confident Malfoy smile. "Come, we can talk and watch them practice. Besides, father would like to speak to you before he and Uncle Severus leave."

Hermione hesitated slightly. _Was she up for company? _She'd been spending a lot of time with Harry this past week, because he knew how to comfort her without showing any pity, something she was glad for. She had enjoyed her time with the professor, but if he had to leave, then there wasn't anything she could do about it. It wasn't as if they were friends or anything.

The girl started slightly. _Had Snape just stroked the back of her hand with a single long finger? Or had she just imagined the sudden gesture? _The motion had been so quick, so soft, that she really didn't know, though she strongly suspected that it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Whether she imagined it or not, she knew what it meant.

Slowly, she reached out, and took the extended hand of her newest friend. Draco's smile widened as she did this, and Ron stormed out of the room...

Draco led her out to to the charmed backyard, the professor silently following suit. The twins, Ginny, Harry and Ron were already up in the air when they arrived. Everyone other than Ron paused to wave at them, before continuing with whatever it was that they were doing.

The three came to a stop in front of Lucius Malfoy, who had been standing there watching the group in the air. Exchanging a nod with the onyx eyed man, and thanking his son, Hermione's hand was transferred from Draco to his father. After asking the other two to leave them alone for a moment, both Professor Snape and his godson walked off.

Lucius looked down at Hermione and tightened his hold on her hand. For the first time, he wasn't smirking or sneering at her. In fact, he looked rather serious. "Miss Granger, I would like to offer my deepest condolences on the passing of your parents. If there is anything I can do to help, please, ask."

Hermione froze. For a while, just a while, she had forgotten about her current situation. But now it all came back to her. She felt tears prick her eyes, but didn't let them fall. "Thank you," she murmured thickly.

Lucius nodded once and gave her a rather tentative smile before letting go of her hand. Bidding her a good day, he joined his friend.

While waiting for Draco to walk back over, Hermione watched the older Malfoy and her professor walk away, wondering why the dark haired man had glanced back over his shoulder at her like that. The look he had given her had been...odd.

**And that's all for this week. I still don't know where this is going, so please be patient with me when it comes to the lemons and whatever. Hopefully things will become clear later on. I'm half way through the next chapter, but I'm not sure when it'll be done, considering I can't ditch class this week. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


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